Lusail International Circuit facilities set for extensive remodeling
Lusail International Circuit is set to undergo extensive renovation and remodeling to the paddock area and circuit facilities for 2023. The track is already confirmed on the MotoGP™ calendar until at least 2031, and the works will see the Middle East’s flagship motorsport venue further confirm its status as one of the world’s best-equipped racing facilities.
The remodeling project will begin to take shape in 2022 and will see various areas redeveloped to create an even better experience for all those racing at and visiting the venue, from riders and teams to fans and guests. That includes new areas for spectators, establishing Lusail as a truly state-of-the-art, cutting edge racetrack.
Lusail will host the 2023 Grand Prix of Qatar upon completion of the work, meaning the event will therefore not be the opening round, as it has been from 2007. Instead it will take place towards the end of the season, under the spectacular floodlights of Lusail as the sport returns to enjoy some incredible racing – as has become tradition at the Qatar GP.
Martinez Motorsports GTO comes back from one-lap deficit to Birch Racing at half-way to dominate last 30 laps of the ASRA Team Challenge by Michelin Tire at Blackhawk Farms Raceway.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the lower left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
A penultimate corner move on Moor sees the Hungarian claim a stunning Sunday victory in Le Mans
Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team) claimed a stunning victory in Race 2 of the opening Northern Talent Cup round in Le Mans after the Hungarian pulled off a late penultimate corner move on Race 1 winner Rossi Moor (FARIUM Next Generation Riders). Moor crossed the line in P2 but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the last lap, seeing Loris Venemen (TeamNL Open Line) promoted to second.
Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) in action during Northern Talent Cup Race Two at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moor was once again on pole but it was his teammate Matteo Masili who launched excellently from P6 on the grid to take the holeshot, as the field safely negotiated the tricky Dunlop Chicane on Lap 1. A lead group of 11 riders formed at the front and as we saw on Saturday, the P1 baton was being passed around often – no one able to properly establish themselves as a long time race leader.
Moor and Veneman were able to bridge a gap in the closing stages of the opening race, but there wasn’t to be a repeat in Race 2 – Farkas, the aforementioned duo, Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights), Masili and Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) were all eyeing at least a podium heading into the closing stages.
Farkas led onto the final lap and held P1 until Turn 11. That’s when Moor – a favourable passing place for the Hungarian this weekend – planted his KTM 250 machine up the inside. It was a move that stuck, but Farkas conjured up a plan that he executed to perfection at Turn 13.
The pass up the inside of Moor was firm but fair, as the number 92 then stepped out onto the green. Farkas made no mistake at the final corner to pick up a phenomenal victory in Le Mans, Moor was forced to cross the line in second with Venemen third, but track limits saw those positions switched after the chequered flag.
Cuypers took P4 less than half a second away from victory, with Schneider completing the top five. Race 1 podium finisher Masili ended Race 2 in sixth, as Varga lost out on the final lap at Turn 8 in the scrap for the podium – the Hungarian was P7. Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy), Martin Vincze (Chrobak Motorsport Egyesület) and Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid) rounded out the top 10.
After two cracking races at the classic Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, Moor leads the Cup standings by one point over Venemen heading to Oschersleben next weekend. Who will prevail in Germany?
Aegerter puts in a masterclass to win MotoE™ Race 2
The Swiss rider gets back on top and denies Casadei, with Canepa taking a first MotoE™ podium in third
Dominique Aegerter (77). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 15 May 2022
Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) is back on top in the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup! The Swiss rider put in a masterclass at the SHARK Grand Prix de France to take his first win in the Cup since 2020, and in doing so put himself back on top in the standings, too. The fight for victory went all the way down to the final lap, with Aegerter passing Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) for the lead and affording the Italian no right to reply. Joining them on the podium for the first time in MotoE™ came Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team), with the Italian beating compatriot Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) to the line by just 0.008 seconds.
Casadei took the spoils in Race 1 on the afternoon prior at Le Mans and, from pole position, he took the early lead in Race 2 as well. Aegerter lost two positions off the start before getting both back, the Swiss rider passing of Hikaro Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™) and then Zannoni at Turn 3 on Laps 2 and 3 respectively. That put him in clear air behind Casadei, beginning to chip away at the Italian’s one-second lead.
There was plenty of shuffling for position behind, but Aegerter was on a singular mission at the front and with a couple to go, the number 77 was right on Casadei to make it a duel for the win. By the time the two were approaching Turn 3 on the final lap, it was go time and Aegerter struck with a decisive move for the lead. Casadei stayed close but couldn’t quite bridge the gap back, with the Swiss rider keeping it pinned for his first MotoE™ win of the year and first since 2020, just over half a second in hand at the flag.
While the contest for victory was only settled late in the race, the final podium position was not even locked in until right at the finish line. In the early stages, it was pre-race points leader Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) on a charge, dropping as low as eighth on Lap 1 but getting into the top five when he passed Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) at the start of Lap 4. On Lap 5, he used a cutback to overtake Okubo for fourth spot as they accelerated off Garage Vert, but then the Brazilian found himself under threat.
Canepa took advantage of Okubo’s attempt to immediately hit back at Granado, and the Italian picked the Japanese rider’s pocket at Chemin aux Boeufs to set off a duel with Granado. The battle was settled by a decisive move from Canepa on the penultimate lap as the Italian just edged away, next locking onto the back of Zannoni up ahead and the final place on the podium.
The number 7 just got it done and stayed ahead, joining Aegerter and Casadei on the podium by just a few thousandths of a second. Zannoni was denied the rostrum once more but took a much bigger chunk of points from Race 2, with Granado completing the top five.
Okubo and Ferrari crossed the line just behind in sixth and seventh, with Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) moveing up from his grid position to eighth. Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™) and Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) were ninth and the tenth at the flag but both took three-second penalties for a shortcut and failure to comply with a Long Lap penalty, respectively, so the top 10 was rounded out by Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) and Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team).
Jordi Torres did not start the race after sustaining a broken left fibula when he crashed on the opening lap of Race 1, but was in good spirits as he stayed at Le Mans to cheer on Pons Racing 40 team-mate Casadei… saying he is hoping to be back at Mugello.
Granado won both races when the season began in Jerez, but Aegerter’s first MotoE™ win since 2020 has helped him go to top of the standings, with an eight-point margin over the Brazilian. Casadei, who matched Aegerter’s 45 points for the Le Mans weekend, is nine points further behind in third.
That’s it from Le Mans, but the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup is back again in just a fortnight as the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley lights up the spectacular Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.
Dominique Aegerter: “For sure, I’m very happy to get the first position. The season has started very well, here in MotoE and also in Supersport, so it’s very nice to stay in parc ferme, to be on the podium! Today it was great. The weather this morning was slightly raining so I said, ‘Ooh, I don’t know whether the Le Mans weather is coming back,’ but we were lucky to get a lot of sunshine. The fans stayed here after the MotoGP too, thank you very much to them. Next week, I’m going to be racing at Estoril, and then back in Mugello for MotoE, so for the next two weeks I’m still busy. Thanks to all the Dynavolt Intact MotoE team. They made again a small adjustment so, in the first few laps, I could stay a little bit better with the lead group. On the last lap, I attacked and took this victory!”
Bastianini flies, Bagnaia falls as Miller and Aleix Espargaro beat Quartararo to the podium
Beast mode is ON at Le Mans as the Gresini rider takes a stunning third win of the season, with an all-Italian bike lock out on the rostrum
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 15 May 2022
For the third time this season, Enea Bastianini has engaged Beast Mode. Another 25-point haul at the SHARK Grand Prix de France sees the Gresini Racing rider move to within eight points of the top of the Championship, take another Independent Team win and make quite a statement. After he and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had escaped to make it a duel for supremacy at Le Mans, the Beast struck for the lead and it wasn’t long after that that Pecco slid out of contention.. rider ok, but points haul taking a dent.
Meanwhile, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) maintained it as a Borgo Panigale 1-2, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro making it three premier class rostrums on the spin for the Noale factory for the first time ever – just denying home hero and reigning Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).
The atmosphere in the circuit hit fever pitch as riders revved up for the start of Round 7, and it was Miller who got the perfect launch from the line to take the holeshot ahead of Bastianini, who pushed his way through from the second row. Bagnaia was in third with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins and Joan Mir split by Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in P5. A poor start from Aleix Espargaro saw him drop to seventh, while Quartararo also went backwards, the Frenchman initially swallowed up by a number of riders before starting to make progress forward.
A wild first lap came to a close with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) aggressively lunging up the inside of both Quartararo and Nakagami to move into P7, and it was all go everywhere. Not least for home hero Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), who was having an equally difficult start to the GP just behind, locked in a battle mid-pack with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and the two making contact at Turn 6. The RC16 lost a front wing as a result.
The manic start continued back at the front, with Bagania and Rins both picking off Bastianini to drop him out of the podium places. Rins’ ambitions would come crashing to a halt at the beginning of the third lap though, with the Suzuki off track at Turn 2, through the gravel and back on at Turn 4. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep his machine upright as it returned to the tarmac, temporarily rejoining but retiring soon after.
As a result, it was a Ducati one-two-three with the factory riders building up a gap out front, Miller ahead. Bagnaia was through on Lap 4 though, and the race began to settle slightly as riders found their groove. Just back of that fight, Mir led Aleix Espargaro, Quartararo and Marc Marquez.
By Lap 12, Bastinain was past Miller, the Gresini rider going through on the Aussie at Garage Vert. Soon after, there was some change just behind them too, with Mir hitting the deck and tumbling through the gravel at Turn 14. That allowed Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo to gain a position each, but they were still 1.1s away from Miller in third. There was also disappointment for Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) as he recorded a fourth DNF of the year after a Turn 9 fall.
On Lap 17, the fight for victory sparked into life as Bastianini began to swarm all over the back of Bagnaia out front, the GP21 locked on for a few laps to heap on some pressure. The Beast then made his first move at the Dunlop Chicane and the two went wheel-to-wheel up until Turn 6, with Bagnaia posting a classy riposte. The fight wasn’t over though, with Bastianini forcing an error from his Ducati counterpart at Garage Vert as Pecco ran it wide and dropped to P2. That left a second between them and in an effort to reel Bastianini back in, Bagnaia pushed it too hard around the final corner and slid into the gravel, and out of the race. Rider ok, but on a long, lonely walk back down pitlane.
From there, Bastianini just had to keep it steady to bring home his third victory of the year, while Miller was comfortable in second. Attentions switched the remaining podium place, with home fans willing on World Champion Quartararo in the closing laps. He closed and closed and closed but he could never quite get close enough to the Aprilia ahead, with Aleix Espargaro denying the fairytale French ending but continued the Noale dream.
Zarco made moves to get back towards the front, coming home fifth despite that tougher start. Marquez rounded out the top six, while Nakagami put in a very solid seventh place finish. Despite missing a wing from the early stages, Binder claimed P8, while his factory teammate Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) recorded a DNF.
Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Maverick Viñales both claimed top 10 results in encouraging performances.
That’s a wrap on the French GP and it was certainly a race to remember, with the crowd an incredible protagonist too. Next up for MotoGP™ is the Tuscan beauty of Mugello, where we’re sure to see even more twists and turns in this fascinating World Championship… join us then in two weeks!
Enea Bastianini: “I’m really happy about this race, because it was also unexpected because the weekend started really complicated for me, with three crashes, a lot for me. Every time I’m consistent, but here it was really difficult. But in the race, I saw that my pace was really nice, like the group that was in front of me. At the end, when I saw Pecco very close, I understand, ‘Okay, now you have to stay behind.’ At the end, I tried to overtake him in the second corner to make Pecco a little bit nervous. In the end, he went long and I won this race. It’s all for my team because they work a lot at this Grand Prix to give me the best bike and it’s incredible, the job they did.”
Augusto Fernandez (37) taking the checkered flag at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fernandez flies to first win since 2019 in France
The Spaniard gets back on top as teammate Acosta crashes out and Canet beats Chantra and Beaubier to second
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez has broken a drought of almost three years with victory at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, with he and teammate Pedro Acosta pulling clear in the early laps before the rookie crashed out the lead on Lap 11. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) finished second for another impressive podium, fending off Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing). World Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) limited the damage to his title hopes, finishing eighth despite starting 18th on the grid.
Acosta converted his first Moto2™ pole position into the early race lead while Fernandez slotted into second, one up on where he had qualified. Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) was third initially before being passed by Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up) on Lap 2, then Canet was into the podium places when he got by Lopez on Lap 5 at Turn 3.
By then, the top two had a margin over the rest of three seconds and growing. Still, Fernandez was keeping in touch with Acosta, thanks in part to a big wobble for the latter exiting Raccordement on Lap 5. A lap later, Lopez and Arenas were down in the gravel together, however, as the Aspar rider tried to go through a diminishing gap at Musee.
Meanwhile at the front, the pole-sitter had just started to put the hammer down when he lost the front through La Chapelle, rider ok but his hopes of a breakthrough Moto2™ victory dashed. That elevated Fernandez to the lead and Canet to second, but the man with the bowtie was coming under pressure from Beaubier and Chantra.
When Beaubier ran just a little wide at Musee on Lap 14, Chantra pinched third, then put a move on Canet a lap later. In doing so, he made room for the American to also go past Canet and reclaim third, but Canet turned the tables on Lap 18, passing Beaubier from a long way back at the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane and making it stick.
As Fernandez continued to enjoy a margin of six to seven seconds over the rest, second-placed then Chantra outbraked himself at Garage Vert on Lap 18 and had to let his bike run wide. Not only did he cede position to Canet and Beaubier, the Thai rider had cost himself a full second of time, handing a free kick to his rivals in the battle for the podium.
Next it was Beaubier who invited some pressure when he ran wide at La Chapelle on the third-last lap, and Chantra made the pass a lap later as they ran through Turn 13. Meanwhile, Vietti was finally into the top 10, despite running through the gravel at Garage Vert earlier in the race.
Up ahead, Fernandez eased off in the closing laps and cruised to victory by an official margin of 3.746 seconds. The win is his first since the 2019 San Marino Grand Prix, and his first altogether for Red Bull KTM Ajo. A further 0.882 seconds behind Canet, who gained a little breathing space in second, was Chantra in third, with Beaubier a career-best fourth despite losing out on that first podium.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) prevailed in a late battle with Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as they finished fifth and sixth respectively, ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Vietti, Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), and stand in Stefano Manzi (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Arenas managed to remount after his incident with Lopez but could only get back to 19th, missing out on the points. His Inde GASGAS Aspar team-mate Jake Dixon, who did not get away well from the middle of the front row, also pressed on after an early crash from eighth position, but finished even further back in 21st spot. Among those who did not make the chequered flag at all were Lopez and title contender Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).
Arbolino and Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) went down in synchronised fashion at La Chapelle on Lap 2, although without contact, and that capped off a difficult day for the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team. Before the race had started, it was down to one bike due as Sam Lowes was declared unfit after reporting neck pain and the onset of dizziness after Warm Up. He’d had a nasty highside in Q2.
In the World Championship, Vietti has moved to 108 points, second-placed Ogura is a slightly closer 16 points behind, and Fernandez has climbed to fifth. That’s it for another intriguing weekend of Moto2™. Join us next time when Round 8, the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, unfolds at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in two weeks!
Augusto Fernandez: “It feels very good to be back here. It’s been a long two-and-a-half years, waiting for this moment again. Already at the beginning of the season, I was feeling good, so we just had to let the moment come. In the end, this weekend I felt very good from Friday, so we kept the momentum all weekend and we finally did it. The pace at the beginning was so, so, so high. Pedro did an awesome first part of the race, he was pushing a lot, but his moment will come. So, congrats to him for the first half of the race, it was amazing. Then, it was a hard race to manage the distance. When you are alone there, to manage the lap times and the distances, it’s even harder than fighting in a group, so I’m very happy. I want to thank all my family, my dad, my mum, and my brother, and, well, all my friends, everyone… my team… everyone!”
Jaume Masia (5) won a fierce Moto3 race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Masia brings the last corner magic at Le Mans
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider takes a fourth podium in a row and another victory, fending off Sasaki on the last lap
In typical barnstorming Moto3™ fashion, fans were out of their seats for a grandstand finish as a restarted race went down to the wire at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia earned victory after a thrilling final corner move past Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) while Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) stole the final podium place with another dramatic final corner past poleman Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). It’s the first time Masia has taken four podiums in a row and it moves him up to second in the standings, 17 off leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team).
The threat of rain loomed large over Le Mans on Sunday but initially, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) got a brilliant launch from the line to take the holeshot going into the Dunlop Curve, but the Red Flag soon came out as rain hit the final sector. There had been seven different fallers, including GASGAS Aspar duo Garcia and Guevara, Sasaki, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Riccardo Rossi (SI58 Squadra Corse), but riders all ok and all able to make the restart.
With a new race distance of 14 laps set, it was always going to be a tight affair with the sun shining again, and so it proved. In a carbon copy of the first race start, Moreira managed to push himself into the lead from the second row while a superb effort from Championship leader Garcia saw him move up into the podium places behind then-closest challenger Foggia. Behind them, there was lots of chopping and changing as Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) battled with Migno and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) throughout the first lap.
The race began to settle somewhat by the time the third lap rolled around, while Masia was finding his groove, picking off Suzuki at Garage Vert before getting the better of Foggia on the next lap at the Turn 3 chicane. The Italian tried to return the favour one lap later, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider fended him off. The race had lost Scott Ogden by this stage, with the VisionTrack rookie crashing out at La Chappelle, rider ok.
Behind Masia, Garcia had moved up to second after getting past the Leopard Hondas, while Öncü in P4 had entered the podium conversation. All the chopping and changing brought the leader of the second group, Sasaki, into contention too.
Back at the front, Foggia pushed himself back into second at the expense of Garcia. The GASGAS man tried to respond into the chicane, but it went awry and he was forced wide, costing him his drive out of the corner and dropping him to sixth overall. That gave Masia a couple tenths of breathing space out front, but it didn’t last long as he was soon reeled in by Foggia and Sasaki at S Bleu with just over three laps to go.
Coming into the endgame, Foggia led Sasaki ahead of Masia with Suzuki, Garcia and Guevara just behind. However, a move at Garage Vert returned Masia to P2. Coming over the line for the penultimate time, it was anybody’s race. The Dunlop Chicane is always a popular overtaking spot, and Masia lined up a successful attempt for the lead.
La Musee is another hot spot for overtaking, and that’s where Sasaki picked off Foggia, relegating the poleman to third. Having bided his time all race, the Japanese rider looked like he would steal the win with just two corners to go, taking the lead on the flick back left at S Bleu. The drama was still far from over, with Masia producing a sensational last corner lunge up the inside to take the win, while Guevara had done something similar to Foggia to deny the pre-season Championship favourite a podium.
Behind that podium shuffle, Suzuki finished fifth ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP), with Garcia recording a P7 finish. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) ended the day eighth, ahead of Öncü with Migno rounding out the top 10.
Holgado, John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing), Rossi, Moreira after a Long Lap and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) are the other points scorers in France.
That’s a wrap at Le Mans, now the field heads for Mugello and a very different challenge. Join us again in two weeks for more!
Jaume Masia: “It’s amazing, no? It’s incredible, I don’t know what is happening, honestly. I’m enjoying it a lot. It was not easy to manage the situation after the rain, but it’s always amazing to be here. I just want to say thanks. We are really, really strong, I feel really, really good. Maybe we are not the fastest, but we can manage really well. Today, Le Mans repaid me for what happened last year, when I broke my wrist here. So, victory and the first row in qualifying is amazing. I really want to come back stronger, I want to go to Mugello because I like the track a lot. I just want to say thanks to all the people, all my team. We’re going to keep pushing really hard and just really thanks to everybody.”
The Hungarian converted pole position into a first win of the season as the victory and podium fights go down to the last lap
Sunday, 15 May 2022
Polesitter Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) claimed the first victory of the season at the famous Le Mans Circuit as the Hungarian edged out Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) by just 0.166s in a fascinating first encounter of the 2022 Northern Talent Cup. Rookie Matteo Masili (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) won the battle for the final podium spot despite starting from P9 following a three-place grid penalty.
As the lights went out it was Moor who managed to grab the holeshot before drama unfolded behind at Turn 3, with four riders crashing out – one of whom was Valentino Herrlich (Busch und Wagner Racing Team) who was later confirmed to have suffered a tibia fracture. The German will unfortunately miss Race 2 as a result, and after some top pace in pre-season.
A lead group of eight quickly formed as Moor and the fast-starting Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) jostled for P1 on a number of occasions, before Veneman then climbed into the top three. The excellent battle for the lead continued throughout the race until Moor and Veneman were able to break away with two laps to go. Cuypers, after a couple of mistakes, had lost ground and so had the likes of Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), Martin Vincze (Chrobak Motorsport Egyesület), Masili, Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) and Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy), with front row starter Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing) forced to take a Long Lap penalty after taking a shortcut at Turn 4.
On the last lap it was Moor vs Veneman. The Dutchman led but Moor made a great move stick down into Turn 9, and following a faultless final sector, the Hungarian won for the fourth time in the NTC. Veneman equalled his best result in the class with a classy P2,however, with Masili on the rostrum for the first time with a great comeback ride from the rookie.
Farkas and Vincze completed the top five, and they both crossed the line less than a second adrift from the final podium place. Cuypers eventually took P6 and Göttlicher bridged a two-second gap to the lead group in the closing stages to claim P7 from 13th on the grid. The German finished ahead of Varga, who – after failing to take a Long Lap penalty – was handed a three-second penalty at the end of the race. Schneider’s podium hopes evaded him after his Long Lap and he finished P9, with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) picking up P10.
Editorial Note: American Patricia Fernandez, riding her JMcC Roofing Kawasakis, finished 28th in Superbike Race One, 17th in Superbike Race Two, and 25th in the Superstock race Saturday at the North West 200.
IRWIN’S SUPERBIKE SPREE IN THE SUNSHINE AT THE 2022 fonaCAB AND NICHOLL OILS NORTH WEST 200
Glorious sunshine saw huge crowds descend upon the north coast on Saturday to watch Glenn Irwin claim a Superbike race double on his Honda Racing Fireblade during the main day of action at this year’s fonaCab and Nicholl Oils North West 200.
“I’m in love with the North West 200,” the Carrickfergus rider declared as he extended his superbike winning streak to a record breaking six consecutive wins at the event on the Honda Racing Fireblade with victories in the Anchor Bar and Merrow Hotel and Spa Superbike events.
“We are on the limit out there in what was the fastest superbike race ever.” Irwin said after the opening six lapper.
Michael Dunlop’s outright lap record was broken by Irwin, Davey Todd (Milenco Padgetts Honda), Richard Cooper (Buildbase Suzuki) and Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) during the race before Peter Hickman set a new mark at 124.799 mph on his FHO Racing BMW. Hickman, who now holds the outright lap records at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Dundrod’s Ulster Grand Prix, overshot University on the opening lap and retired on the fifth lap with tyre issues.
Rubber would play a major factor in the outcome of the second superbike event as tyre manufacturer, Dunlop, discovered a fault in a batch of their superbike-spec slick tyres.
(Editorial Update: The Dunlop tires in question at the North West 200 came from a production facility in France and are different than the Dunlop slicks made in Buffalo, New York, for use in MotoAmerica, Canadian Superbike, and club racing series.)
Citing safety concerns, Dunlop withdrew Davey Todd, Conor Cummins, Michael Dunlop, Michael Rutter, Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman, Brian McCormack and Sam West plus a number of other competitors from the Merrow Hotel and Spa Superbike race.
Six-times world Superbike champion, Jonathan Rea, started the seven lap feature race as Irwin cantered to a start to finish win, finishing 2.4 seconds ahead of Richard Cooper.
“I was a bit more relaxed and controlled in that one,” Irwin smiled after his ecstatic post-race celebrations amongst the fans in the grandstands. “The last lap was so special and I was trying to wave to everyone and acknowledge all the support which was incredible. This is such a special place.”
Northern Ireland’s Alastair Seeley and Lee Johnston also enjoyed a good day out at the seaside during this year’s North West.
Seeley added a second Superstock race win on the IFS Yamaha to the Stocker and Supersport victories he claimed during Thursday evening’s wet races.
Seeley blitzed the Saturday opposition, finishing 11.7 seconds ahead of Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW) with Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) third. The three victories brought the 42 year old’s record breaking North West tally to 27 and earned him the Man of the Meeting award.
“I got a good start but then the two Hondas of Glenn Irwin and Davey Todd came past before they ran on at University,” he explained. “I led before Michael Dunlop came past and flicked up a stone that broke my screen. I pushed on, started to see a gap on my boards and took the win. That’s three in a week so big thanks to the IFS team.”
The Tides Restaurant Supersport race developed into a titanic battle between Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing Yamaha) and Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett’s Honda) as the pair swapped places throughout the six lapper. The Fermanagh man got the better of the Saltburn on Sea rider at Juniper chicane on the final lap, taking the chequered flag by just 0.079 seconds.
Local favourite, Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha) was 9.8 seconds further back in third.
“We both made a little bit of a mistake at different times which prevented us from being able to gap each other.” Johnston explained.
“Davey is riding really well and he is strong on the brakes but I left it as late as I could at Juniper and still be safe on the last lap. It is great to get another North West win, especially in this weather and with huge crowds. The bike was awesome so huge thanks to my Ashcourt team.”
Todd’s second place was his third runner-up finish at the meeting after finishing behind Alastair Seeley in both Thursday night’s Supersport and Superstock races. He had the consolation of setting a new 600cc lap record at 118.036mph in Saturday’s Supersport race before going on to finish second yet again in the opening Superbike event.
Richard Cooper thought he had claimed his first wins around the 8.9 mile Triangle circuit on the Ryan Farquhar-built JMC Roofing Kawasaki. The Englishman had set a new lap record for the class at 111.580mph in the Milltown Service Station Supertwin race which was run on Saturday morning after being called off on Thursday evening because of adverse weather conditions.
Cooper also finished the JM Paterson Supertwin race in first place later in the day but he was subsequently disqualified from the results of both races after a modification to the frame of the JMC Roofing ER6 was deemed to be against the rules by the stewards of the meeting.
Pierre Yves Bian (VAS Engine Racing Paton) and Joe Loughlin (ILR/Coverdale Paton), the initial second place finishers in each race, have now been declared the winners.
It went down to the wire in an all-Italian duel, with Aegerter and Okubo ultimately completing the podium
Mattia Casadei (27) leads Kevin Zannoni (21) and others during MotoE Race One. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 14 May 2022
Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) is now an FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race winner! The Italian veteran saw off a serious challenge from compatriot Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) in Race 1 at the SHARK Grand Prix de France to take his maiden win in the Cup. Zannoni threw everything into his bid for victory, but hit the deck on the final lap when he asked too much of his front tyre at Turn 13. Nevertheless, the speed was a warning shot for Sunday…
After that drama ahead, Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) took second place and a valuable 20 points, with Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) completing the podium in a first rostrum finish for the Japanese rider.
There was drama as soon as the race started when Casadei’s team-mate and reigning Cup winner Jordi Torres fell in the pack as the they exited the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane. Neither Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) nor Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™) were able to fully avoid the stricken Spaniard, but after a check up at the medical centre Torres was confirmed with a broken fibula; unfit but otherwise ok.
The net result of that opening lap was that Casadei led Zannoni, Okubo and Aegerter, with Casadei looking like he might break away. However, he was reeled in by Zannoni as the eight-lap contest reached its halfway mark.
After biding his time for a handful of laps, the SIC58 rider then had a big look at race leader as they sped through Turn 1/Turn 2 for the final time. Casadei fended off that attack but Zannoni did not give up, pusing to the limit and then sadly just over it as his challenge came to an end at the penultimate corner when he folded the front. Rider ok, and surely eager to recharge for a Race 2 charge.
Up ahead, Casadei won unflustered by 0.8 seconds, while Aegerter had hustled past Okubo at Turn 3 on the second-last lap. Okubo was a maiden podium finisher in third though, just ahead of Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™), Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing), Miquel Pons, and Eric Granado. The latter two, team-mates at the LCR E-Team, had managed to stay upright despite contact exiting Turn 14 in the closing stages of the race, and both will want more on Sunday.
Canepa made the chequered flag in eighth, Andrea Mantovani (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) took ninth as he sits in for Bradley Smith, and Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) was 10th all-told. Escrig had run as high as fourth in the early stages but lost three spots when he ran long at Chemin aux Boeufs (Turn 9/Turn 10) on Lap 2, then had to serve a long lap penalty for the shortcut. Fores ended up 12th and Zannoni was classified a finisher, but in 16th.
Granado won both races in Round 1 of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix, but his lead in the MotoE™ World Cup standings has now been cut to six points, with Aegerter second and Casadei 12 points further back in third. Will they make up more ground, or can the Brazilian fight back? Tune in for Race 2 on Sunday at 15:30 (GMT +2).
Mattia Casadei: “It’s amazing, I’ve been waiting for this victory since the first year of MotoE, finally it’s happened and it’s fantastic. I had a very good race, I pushed a lot from the first lap and this is good, I felt comfortable. I’m happy for me and for my family who believe in me a lot, also my friends, my girlfriend, and my team because they’re working very well. It’s a great emotion..”
Lusail International Circuit. Photo courtesy of Dorna.
Lusail International Circuit facilities set for extensive remodeling
Lusail International Circuit is set to undergo extensive renovation and remodeling to the paddock area and circuit facilities for 2023. The track is already confirmed on the MotoGP™ calendar until at least 2031, and the works will see the Middle East’s flagship motorsport venue further confirm its status as one of the world’s best-equipped racing facilities.
The remodeling project will begin to take shape in 2022 and will see various areas redeveloped to create an even better experience for all those racing at and visiting the venue, from riders and teams to fans and guests. That includes new areas for spectators, establishing Lusail as a truly state-of-the-art, cutting edge racetrack.
Lusail will host the 2023 Grand Prix of Qatar upon completion of the work, meaning the event will therefore not be the opening round, as it has been from 2007. Instead it will take place towards the end of the season, under the spectacular floodlights of Lusail as the sport returns to enjoy some incredible racing – as has become tradition at the Qatar GP.
(From left) Birch Racing's Dorsey Birch and Jody Barry; Martinez Motorsports GTO's Tony Storniolo, Levi Martinez (team member), and Calvin Martinez; Grease Monkey Racing's Stephen Hoffman and Eric Helmbach on the overall ASRA Team Challenge podium at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Photo courtesy ASRA.
Martinez Motorsports GTO comes back from one-lap deficit to Birch Racing at half-way to dominate last 30 laps of the ASRA Team Challenge by Michelin Tire at Blackhawk Farms Raceway.
Editorial Note: Use the scroll and zoom tools in the lower left corner of the PDF viewer to better see all of the results.
A penultimate corner move on Moor sees the Hungarian claim a stunning Sunday victory in Le Mans
Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team) claimed a stunning victory in Race 2 of the opening Northern Talent Cup round in Le Mans after the Hungarian pulled off a late penultimate corner move on Race 1 winner Rossi Moor (FARIUM Next Generation Riders). Moor crossed the line in P2 but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the last lap, seeing Loris Venemen (TeamNL Open Line) promoted to second.
Hungarian-American Rossi Moor (92) in action during Northern Talent Cup Race Two at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Moor was once again on pole but it was his teammate Matteo Masili who launched excellently from P6 on the grid to take the holeshot, as the field safely negotiated the tricky Dunlop Chicane on Lap 1. A lead group of 11 riders formed at the front and as we saw on Saturday, the P1 baton was being passed around often – no one able to properly establish themselves as a long time race leader.
Moor and Veneman were able to bridge a gap in the closing stages of the opening race, but there wasn’t to be a repeat in Race 2 – Farkas, the aforementioned duo, Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing), Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights), Masili and Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) were all eyeing at least a podium heading into the closing stages.
Farkas led onto the final lap and held P1 until Turn 11. That’s when Moor – a favourable passing place for the Hungarian this weekend – planted his KTM 250 machine up the inside. It was a move that stuck, but Farkas conjured up a plan that he executed to perfection at Turn 13.
The pass up the inside of Moor was firm but fair, as the number 92 then stepped out onto the green. Farkas made no mistake at the final corner to pick up a phenomenal victory in Le Mans, Moor was forced to cross the line in second with Venemen third, but track limits saw those positions switched after the chequered flag.
Cuypers took P4 less than half a second away from victory, with Schneider completing the top five. Race 1 podium finisher Masili ended Race 2 in sixth, as Varga lost out on the final lap at Turn 8 in the scrap for the podium – the Hungarian was P7. Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy), Martin Vincze (Chrobak Motorsport Egyesület) and Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid) rounded out the top 10.
After two cracking races at the classic Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, Moor leads the Cup standings by one point over Venemen heading to Oschersleben next weekend. Who will prevail in Germany?
Aegerter puts in a masterclass to win MotoE™ Race 2
The Swiss rider gets back on top and denies Casadei, with Canepa taking a first MotoE™ podium in third
Dominique Aegerter (77). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 15 May 2022
Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) is back on top in the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup! The Swiss rider put in a masterclass at the SHARK Grand Prix de France to take his first win in the Cup since 2020, and in doing so put himself back on top in the standings, too. The fight for victory went all the way down to the final lap, with Aegerter passing Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) for the lead and affording the Italian no right to reply. Joining them on the podium for the first time in MotoE™ came Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team), with the Italian beating compatriot Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) to the line by just 0.008 seconds.
Casadei took the spoils in Race 1 on the afternoon prior at Le Mans and, from pole position, he took the early lead in Race 2 as well. Aegerter lost two positions off the start before getting both back, the Swiss rider passing of Hikaro Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™) and then Zannoni at Turn 3 on Laps 2 and 3 respectively. That put him in clear air behind Casadei, beginning to chip away at the Italian’s one-second lead.
There was plenty of shuffling for position behind, but Aegerter was on a singular mission at the front and with a couple to go, the number 77 was right on Casadei to make it a duel for the win. By the time the two were approaching Turn 3 on the final lap, it was go time and Aegerter struck with a decisive move for the lead. Casadei stayed close but couldn’t quite bridge the gap back, with the Swiss rider keeping it pinned for his first MotoE™ win of the year and first since 2020, just over half a second in hand at the flag.
While the contest for victory was only settled late in the race, the final podium position was not even locked in until right at the finish line. In the early stages, it was pre-race points leader Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) on a charge, dropping as low as eighth on Lap 1 but getting into the top five when he passed Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) at the start of Lap 4. On Lap 5, he used a cutback to overtake Okubo for fourth spot as they accelerated off Garage Vert, but then the Brazilian found himself under threat.
Canepa took advantage of Okubo’s attempt to immediately hit back at Granado, and the Italian picked the Japanese rider’s pocket at Chemin aux Boeufs to set off a duel with Granado. The battle was settled by a decisive move from Canepa on the penultimate lap as the Italian just edged away, next locking onto the back of Zannoni up ahead and the final place on the podium.
The number 7 just got it done and stayed ahead, joining Aegerter and Casadei on the podium by just a few thousandths of a second. Zannoni was denied the rostrum once more but took a much bigger chunk of points from Race 2, with Granado completing the top five.
Okubo and Ferrari crossed the line just behind in sixth and seventh, with Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) moveing up from his grid position to eighth. Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™) and Xavi Cardelus (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) were ninth and the tenth at the flag but both took three-second penalties for a shortcut and failure to comply with a Long Lap penalty, respectively, so the top 10 was rounded out by Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team) and Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team).
Jordi Torres did not start the race after sustaining a broken left fibula when he crashed on the opening lap of Race 1, but was in good spirits as he stayed at Le Mans to cheer on Pons Racing 40 team-mate Casadei… saying he is hoping to be back at Mugello.
Granado won both races when the season began in Jerez, but Aegerter’s first MotoE™ win since 2020 has helped him go to top of the standings, with an eight-point margin over the Brazilian. Casadei, who matched Aegerter’s 45 points for the Le Mans weekend, is nine points further behind in third.
That’s it from Le Mans, but the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup is back again in just a fortnight as the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley lights up the spectacular Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.
Dominique Aegerter: “For sure, I’m very happy to get the first position. The season has started very well, here in MotoE and also in Supersport, so it’s very nice to stay in parc ferme, to be on the podium! Today it was great. The weather this morning was slightly raining so I said, ‘Ooh, I don’t know whether the Le Mans weather is coming back,’ but we were lucky to get a lot of sunshine. The fans stayed here after the MotoGP too, thank you very much to them. Next week, I’m going to be racing at Estoril, and then back in Mugello for MotoE, so for the next two weeks I’m still busy. Thanks to all the Dynavolt Intact MotoE team. They made again a small adjustment so, in the first few laps, I could stay a little bit better with the lead group. On the last lap, I attacked and took this victory!”
Bastianini flies, Bagnaia falls as Miller and Aleix Espargaro beat Quartararo to the podium
Beast mode is ON at Le Mans as the Gresini rider takes a stunning third win of the season, with an all-Italian bike lock out on the rostrum
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 15 May 2022
For the third time this season, Enea Bastianini has engaged Beast Mode. Another 25-point haul at the SHARK Grand Prix de France sees the Gresini Racing rider move to within eight points of the top of the Championship, take another Independent Team win and make quite a statement. After he and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had escaped to make it a duel for supremacy at Le Mans, the Beast struck for the lead and it wasn’t long after that that Pecco slid out of contention.. rider ok, but points haul taking a dent.
Meanwhile, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) maintained it as a Borgo Panigale 1-2, with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro making it three premier class rostrums on the spin for the Noale factory for the first time ever – just denying home hero and reigning Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™).
The atmosphere in the circuit hit fever pitch as riders revved up for the start of Round 7, and it was Miller who got the perfect launch from the line to take the holeshot ahead of Bastianini, who pushed his way through from the second row. Bagnaia was in third with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins and Joan Mir split by Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in P5. A poor start from Aleix Espargaro saw him drop to seventh, while Quartararo also went backwards, the Frenchman initially swallowed up by a number of riders before starting to make progress forward.
A wild first lap came to a close with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) aggressively lunging up the inside of both Quartararo and Nakagami to move into P7, and it was all go everywhere. Not least for home hero Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), who was having an equally difficult start to the GP just behind, locked in a battle mid-pack with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and the two making contact at Turn 6. The RC16 lost a front wing as a result.
The manic start continued back at the front, with Bagania and Rins both picking off Bastianini to drop him out of the podium places. Rins’ ambitions would come crashing to a halt at the beginning of the third lap though, with the Suzuki off track at Turn 2, through the gravel and back on at Turn 4. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep his machine upright as it returned to the tarmac, temporarily rejoining but retiring soon after.
As a result, it was a Ducati one-two-three with the factory riders building up a gap out front, Miller ahead. Bagnaia was through on Lap 4 though, and the race began to settle slightly as riders found their groove. Just back of that fight, Mir led Aleix Espargaro, Quartararo and Marc Marquez.
By Lap 12, Bastinain was past Miller, the Gresini rider going through on the Aussie at Garage Vert. Soon after, there was some change just behind them too, with Mir hitting the deck and tumbling through the gravel at Turn 14. That allowed Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo to gain a position each, but they were still 1.1s away from Miller in third. There was also disappointment for Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) as he recorded a fourth DNF of the year after a Turn 9 fall.
On Lap 17, the fight for victory sparked into life as Bastianini began to swarm all over the back of Bagnaia out front, the GP21 locked on for a few laps to heap on some pressure. The Beast then made his first move at the Dunlop Chicane and the two went wheel-to-wheel up until Turn 6, with Bagnaia posting a classy riposte. The fight wasn’t over though, with Bastianini forcing an error from his Ducati counterpart at Garage Vert as Pecco ran it wide and dropped to P2. That left a second between them and in an effort to reel Bastianini back in, Bagnaia pushed it too hard around the final corner and slid into the gravel, and out of the race. Rider ok, but on a long, lonely walk back down pitlane.
From there, Bastianini just had to keep it steady to bring home his third victory of the year, while Miller was comfortable in second. Attentions switched the remaining podium place, with home fans willing on World Champion Quartararo in the closing laps. He closed and closed and closed but he could never quite get close enough to the Aprilia ahead, with Aleix Espargaro denying the fairytale French ending but continued the Noale dream.
Zarco made moves to get back towards the front, coming home fifth despite that tougher start. Marquez rounded out the top six, while Nakagami put in a very solid seventh place finish. Despite missing a wing from the early stages, Binder claimed P8, while his factory teammate Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) recorded a DNF.
Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Maverick Viñales both claimed top 10 results in encouraging performances.
That’s a wrap on the French GP and it was certainly a race to remember, with the crowd an incredible protagonist too. Next up for MotoGP™ is the Tuscan beauty of Mugello, where we’re sure to see even more twists and turns in this fascinating World Championship… join us then in two weeks!
Enea Bastianini: “I’m really happy about this race, because it was also unexpected because the weekend started really complicated for me, with three crashes, a lot for me. Every time I’m consistent, but here it was really difficult. But in the race, I saw that my pace was really nice, like the group that was in front of me. At the end, when I saw Pecco very close, I understand, ‘Okay, now you have to stay behind.’ At the end, I tried to overtake him in the second corner to make Pecco a little bit nervous. In the end, he went long and I won this race. It’s all for my team because they work a lot at this Grand Prix to give me the best bike and it’s incredible, the job they did.”
Augusto Fernandez (37) taking the checkered flag at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fernandez flies to first win since 2019 in France
The Spaniard gets back on top as teammate Acosta crashes out and Canet beats Chantra and Beaubier to second
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez has broken a drought of almost three years with victory at the SHARK Grand Prix de France, with he and teammate Pedro Acosta pulling clear in the early laps before the rookie crashed out the lead on Lap 11. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) finished second for another impressive podium, fending off Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing). World Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) limited the damage to his title hopes, finishing eighth despite starting 18th on the grid.
Acosta converted his first Moto2™ pole position into the early race lead while Fernandez slotted into second, one up on where he had qualified. Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) was third initially before being passed by Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors Speed Up) on Lap 2, then Canet was into the podium places when he got by Lopez on Lap 5 at Turn 3.
By then, the top two had a margin over the rest of three seconds and growing. Still, Fernandez was keeping in touch with Acosta, thanks in part to a big wobble for the latter exiting Raccordement on Lap 5. A lap later, Lopez and Arenas were down in the gravel together, however, as the Aspar rider tried to go through a diminishing gap at Musee.
Meanwhile at the front, the pole-sitter had just started to put the hammer down when he lost the front through La Chapelle, rider ok but his hopes of a breakthrough Moto2™ victory dashed. That elevated Fernandez to the lead and Canet to second, but the man with the bowtie was coming under pressure from Beaubier and Chantra.
When Beaubier ran just a little wide at Musee on Lap 14, Chantra pinched third, then put a move on Canet a lap later. In doing so, he made room for the American to also go past Canet and reclaim third, but Canet turned the tables on Lap 18, passing Beaubier from a long way back at the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane and making it stick.
As Fernandez continued to enjoy a margin of six to seven seconds over the rest, second-placed then Chantra outbraked himself at Garage Vert on Lap 18 and had to let his bike run wide. Not only did he cede position to Canet and Beaubier, the Thai rider had cost himself a full second of time, handing a free kick to his rivals in the battle for the podium.
Next it was Beaubier who invited some pressure when he ran wide at La Chapelle on the third-last lap, and Chantra made the pass a lap later as they ran through Turn 13. Meanwhile, Vietti was finally into the top 10, despite running through the gravel at Garage Vert earlier in the race.
Up ahead, Fernandez eased off in the closing laps and cruised to victory by an official margin of 3.746 seconds. The win is his first since the 2019 San Marino Grand Prix, and his first altogether for Red Bull KTM Ajo. A further 0.882 seconds behind Canet, who gained a little breathing space in second, was Chantra in third, with Beaubier a career-best fourth despite losing out on that first podium.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) prevailed in a late battle with Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) as they finished fifth and sixth respectively, ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Vietti, Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), and stand in Stefano Manzi (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).
Arenas managed to remount after his incident with Lopez but could only get back to 19th, missing out on the points. His Inde GASGAS Aspar team-mate Jake Dixon, who did not get away well from the middle of the front row, also pressed on after an early crash from eighth position, but finished even further back in 21st spot. Among those who did not make the chequered flag at all were Lopez and title contender Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).
Arbolino and Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) went down in synchronised fashion at La Chapelle on Lap 2, although without contact, and that capped off a difficult day for the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team. Before the race had started, it was down to one bike due as Sam Lowes was declared unfit after reporting neck pain and the onset of dizziness after Warm Up. He’d had a nasty highside in Q2.
In the World Championship, Vietti has moved to 108 points, second-placed Ogura is a slightly closer 16 points behind, and Fernandez has climbed to fifth. That’s it for another intriguing weekend of Moto2™. Join us next time when Round 8, the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, unfolds at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in two weeks!
Augusto Fernandez: “It feels very good to be back here. It’s been a long two-and-a-half years, waiting for this moment again. Already at the beginning of the season, I was feeling good, so we just had to let the moment come. In the end, this weekend I felt very good from Friday, so we kept the momentum all weekend and we finally did it. The pace at the beginning was so, so, so high. Pedro did an awesome first part of the race, he was pushing a lot, but his moment will come. So, congrats to him for the first half of the race, it was amazing. Then, it was a hard race to manage the distance. When you are alone there, to manage the lap times and the distances, it’s even harder than fighting in a group, so I’m very happy. I want to thank all my family, my dad, my mum, and my brother, and, well, all my friends, everyone… my team… everyone!”
Jaume Masia (5) won a fierce Moto3 race at Le Mans. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Masia brings the last corner magic at Le Mans
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider takes a fourth podium in a row and another victory, fending off Sasaki on the last lap
In typical barnstorming Moto3™ fashion, fans were out of their seats for a grandstand finish as a restarted race went down to the wire at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia earned victory after a thrilling final corner move past Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) while Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) stole the final podium place with another dramatic final corner past poleman Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). It’s the first time Masia has taken four podiums in a row and it moves him up to second in the standings, 17 off leader Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team).
The threat of rain loomed large over Le Mans on Sunday but initially, Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) got a brilliant launch from the line to take the holeshot going into the Dunlop Curve, but the Red Flag soon came out as rain hit the final sector. There had been seven different fallers, including GASGAS Aspar duo Garcia and Guevara, Sasaki, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Riccardo Rossi (SI58 Squadra Corse), but riders all ok and all able to make the restart.
With a new race distance of 14 laps set, it was always going to be a tight affair with the sun shining again, and so it proved. In a carbon copy of the first race start, Moreira managed to push himself into the lead from the second row while a superb effort from Championship leader Garcia saw him move up into the podium places behind then-closest challenger Foggia. Behind them, there was lots of chopping and changing as Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) battled with Migno and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) throughout the first lap.
The race began to settle somewhat by the time the third lap rolled around, while Masia was finding his groove, picking off Suzuki at Garage Vert before getting the better of Foggia on the next lap at the Turn 3 chicane. The Italian tried to return the favour one lap later, but the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider fended him off. The race had lost Scott Ogden by this stage, with the VisionTrack rookie crashing out at La Chappelle, rider ok.
Behind Masia, Garcia had moved up to second after getting past the Leopard Hondas, while Öncü in P4 had entered the podium conversation. All the chopping and changing brought the leader of the second group, Sasaki, into contention too.
Back at the front, Foggia pushed himself back into second at the expense of Garcia. The GASGAS man tried to respond into the chicane, but it went awry and he was forced wide, costing him his drive out of the corner and dropping him to sixth overall. That gave Masia a couple tenths of breathing space out front, but it didn’t last long as he was soon reeled in by Foggia and Sasaki at S Bleu with just over three laps to go.
Coming into the endgame, Foggia led Sasaki ahead of Masia with Suzuki, Garcia and Guevara just behind. However, a move at Garage Vert returned Masia to P2. Coming over the line for the penultimate time, it was anybody’s race. The Dunlop Chicane is always a popular overtaking spot, and Masia lined up a successful attempt for the lead.
La Musee is another hot spot for overtaking, and that’s where Sasaki picked off Foggia, relegating the poleman to third. Having bided his time all race, the Japanese rider looked like he would steal the win with just two corners to go, taking the lead on the flick back left at S Bleu. The drama was still far from over, with Masia producing a sensational last corner lunge up the inside to take the win, while Guevara had done something similar to Foggia to deny the pre-season Championship favourite a podium.
Behind that podium shuffle, Suzuki finished fifth ahead of Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP), with Garcia recording a P7 finish. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) ended the day eighth, ahead of Öncü with Migno rounding out the top 10.
Holgado, John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing), Rossi, Moreira after a Long Lap and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) are the other points scorers in France.
That’s a wrap at Le Mans, now the field heads for Mugello and a very different challenge. Join us again in two weeks for more!
Jaume Masia: “It’s amazing, no? It’s incredible, I don’t know what is happening, honestly. I’m enjoying it a lot. It was not easy to manage the situation after the rain, but it’s always amazing to be here. I just want to say thanks. We are really, really strong, I feel really, really good. Maybe we are not the fastest, but we can manage really well. Today, Le Mans repaid me for what happened last year, when I broke my wrist here. So, victory and the first row in qualifying is amazing. I really want to come back stronger, I want to go to Mugello because I like the track a lot. I just want to say thanks to all the people, all my team. We’re going to keep pushing really hard and just really thanks to everybody.”
The Hungarian converted pole position into a first win of the season as the victory and podium fights go down to the last lap
Sunday, 15 May 2022
Polesitter Rossi Moor (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) claimed the first victory of the season at the famous Le Mans Circuit as the Hungarian edged out Loris Veneman (TeamNL Open Line) by just 0.166s in a fascinating first encounter of the 2022 Northern Talent Cup. Rookie Matteo Masili (FAIRIUM Next Generation Riders Team) won the battle for the final podium spot despite starting from P9 following a three-place grid penalty.
As the lights went out it was Moor who managed to grab the holeshot before drama unfolded behind at Turn 3, with four riders crashing out – one of whom was Valentino Herrlich (Busch und Wagner Racing Team) who was later confirmed to have suffered a tibia fracture. The German will unfortunately miss Race 2 as a result, and after some top pace in pre-season.
A lead group of eight quickly formed as Moor and the fast-starting Noa Cuypers (Junior Black Knights) jostled for P1 on a number of occasions, before Veneman then climbed into the top three. The excellent battle for the lead continued throughout the race until Moor and Veneman were able to break away with two laps to go. Cuypers, after a couple of mistakes, had lost ground and so had the likes of Kevin Farkas (Agria Racing Team), Martin Vincze (Chrobak Motorsport Egyesület), Masili, Tibor Varga (Forty Racing) and Luca Göttlicher (JRP Junior Academy), with front row starter Dustin Schneider (Goblin Racing) forced to take a Long Lap penalty after taking a shortcut at Turn 4.
On the last lap it was Moor vs Veneman. The Dutchman led but Moor made a great move stick down into Turn 9, and following a faultless final sector, the Hungarian won for the fourth time in the NTC. Veneman equalled his best result in the class with a classy P2,however, with Masili on the rostrum for the first time with a great comeback ride from the rookie.
Farkas and Vincze completed the top five, and they both crossed the line less than a second adrift from the final podium place. Cuypers eventually took P6 and Göttlicher bridged a two-second gap to the lead group in the closing stages to claim P7 from 13th on the grid. The German finished ahead of Varga, who – after failing to take a Long Lap penalty – was handed a three-second penalty at the end of the race. Schneider’s podium hopes evaded him after his Long Lap and he finished P9, with Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) picking up P10.
Glenn Irwin leading at the North West 200 on his Honda Racing UK CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. Photo courtesy North West 200 Press Office.
Editorial Note: American Patricia Fernandez, riding her JMcC Roofing Kawasakis, finished 28th in Superbike Race One, 17th in Superbike Race Two, and 25th in the Superstock race Saturday at the North West 200.
IRWIN’S SUPERBIKE SPREE IN THE SUNSHINE AT THE 2022 fonaCAB AND NICHOLL OILS NORTH WEST 200
Glorious sunshine saw huge crowds descend upon the north coast on Saturday to watch Glenn Irwin claim a Superbike race double on his Honda Racing Fireblade during the main day of action at this year’s fonaCab and Nicholl Oils North West 200.
“I’m in love with the North West 200,” the Carrickfergus rider declared as he extended his superbike winning streak to a record breaking six consecutive wins at the event on the Honda Racing Fireblade with victories in the Anchor Bar and Merrow Hotel and Spa Superbike events.
“We are on the limit out there in what was the fastest superbike race ever.” Irwin said after the opening six lapper.
Michael Dunlop’s outright lap record was broken by Irwin, Davey Todd (Milenco Padgetts Honda), Richard Cooper (Buildbase Suzuki) and Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) during the race before Peter Hickman set a new mark at 124.799 mph on his FHO Racing BMW. Hickman, who now holds the outright lap records at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Dundrod’s Ulster Grand Prix, overshot University on the opening lap and retired on the fifth lap with tyre issues.
Rubber would play a major factor in the outcome of the second superbike event as tyre manufacturer, Dunlop, discovered a fault in a batch of their superbike-spec slick tyres.
(Editorial Update: The Dunlop tires in question at the North West 200 came from a production facility in France and are different than the Dunlop slicks made in Buffalo, New York, for use in MotoAmerica, Canadian Superbike, and club racing series.)
Citing safety concerns, Dunlop withdrew Davey Todd, Conor Cummins, Michael Dunlop, Michael Rutter, Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman, Brian McCormack and Sam West plus a number of other competitors from the Merrow Hotel and Spa Superbike race.
Six-times world Superbike champion, Jonathan Rea, started the seven lap feature race as Irwin cantered to a start to finish win, finishing 2.4 seconds ahead of Richard Cooper.
“I was a bit more relaxed and controlled in that one,” Irwin smiled after his ecstatic post-race celebrations amongst the fans in the grandstands. “The last lap was so special and I was trying to wave to everyone and acknowledge all the support which was incredible. This is such a special place.”
Northern Ireland’s Alastair Seeley and Lee Johnston also enjoyed a good day out at the seaside during this year’s North West.
Seeley added a second Superstock race win on the IFS Yamaha to the Stocker and Supersport victories he claimed during Thursday evening’s wet races.
Seeley blitzed the Saturday opposition, finishing 11.7 seconds ahead of Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW) with Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) third. The three victories brought the 42 year old’s record breaking North West tally to 27 and earned him the Man of the Meeting award.
“I got a good start but then the two Hondas of Glenn Irwin and Davey Todd came past before they ran on at University,” he explained. “I led before Michael Dunlop came past and flicked up a stone that broke my screen. I pushed on, started to see a gap on my boards and took the win. That’s three in a week so big thanks to the IFS team.”
The Tides Restaurant Supersport race developed into a titanic battle between Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing Yamaha) and Davey Todd (Milenco Padgett’s Honda) as the pair swapped places throughout the six lapper. The Fermanagh man got the better of the Saltburn on Sea rider at Juniper chicane on the final lap, taking the chequered flag by just 0.079 seconds.
Local favourite, Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Yamaha) was 9.8 seconds further back in third.
“We both made a little bit of a mistake at different times which prevented us from being able to gap each other.” Johnston explained.
“Davey is riding really well and he is strong on the brakes but I left it as late as I could at Juniper and still be safe on the last lap. It is great to get another North West win, especially in this weather and with huge crowds. The bike was awesome so huge thanks to my Ashcourt team.”
Todd’s second place was his third runner-up finish at the meeting after finishing behind Alastair Seeley in both Thursday night’s Supersport and Superstock races. He had the consolation of setting a new 600cc lap record at 118.036mph in Saturday’s Supersport race before going on to finish second yet again in the opening Superbike event.
Richard Cooper thought he had claimed his first wins around the 8.9 mile Triangle circuit on the Ryan Farquhar-built JMC Roofing Kawasaki. The Englishman had set a new lap record for the class at 111.580mph in the Milltown Service Station Supertwin race which was run on Saturday morning after being called off on Thursday evening because of adverse weather conditions.
Cooper also finished the JM Paterson Supertwin race in first place later in the day but he was subsequently disqualified from the results of both races after a modification to the frame of the JMC Roofing ER6 was deemed to be against the rules by the stewards of the meeting.
Pierre Yves Bian (VAS Engine Racing Paton) and Joe Loughlin (ILR/Coverdale Paton), the initial second place finishers in each race, have now been declared the winners.
It went down to the wire in an all-Italian duel, with Aegerter and Okubo ultimately completing the podium
Mattia Casadei (27) leads Kevin Zannoni (21) and others during MotoE Race One. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 14 May 2022
Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) is now an FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race winner! The Italian veteran saw off a serious challenge from compatriot Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) in Race 1 at the SHARK Grand Prix de France to take his maiden win in the Cup. Zannoni threw everything into his bid for victory, but hit the deck on the final lap when he asked too much of his front tyre at Turn 13. Nevertheless, the speed was a warning shot for Sunday…
After that drama ahead, Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) took second place and a valuable 20 points, with Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) completing the podium in a first rostrum finish for the Japanese rider.
There was drama as soon as the race started when Casadei’s team-mate and reigning Cup winner Jordi Torres fell in the pack as the they exited the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane. Neither Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) nor Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™) were able to fully avoid the stricken Spaniard, but after a check up at the medical centre Torres was confirmed with a broken fibula; unfit but otherwise ok.
The net result of that opening lap was that Casadei led Zannoni, Okubo and Aegerter, with Casadei looking like he might break away. However, he was reeled in by Zannoni as the eight-lap contest reached its halfway mark.
After biding his time for a handful of laps, the SIC58 rider then had a big look at race leader as they sped through Turn 1/Turn 2 for the final time. Casadei fended off that attack but Zannoni did not give up, pusing to the limit and then sadly just over it as his challenge came to an end at the penultimate corner when he folded the front. Rider ok, and surely eager to recharge for a Race 2 charge.
Up ahead, Casadei won unflustered by 0.8 seconds, while Aegerter had hustled past Okubo at Turn 3 on the second-last lap. Okubo was a maiden podium finisher in third though, just ahead of Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™), Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing), Miquel Pons, and Eric Granado. The latter two, team-mates at the LCR E-Team, had managed to stay upright despite contact exiting Turn 14 in the closing stages of the race, and both will want more on Sunday.
Canepa made the chequered flag in eighth, Andrea Mantovani (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) took ninth as he sits in for Bradley Smith, and Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) was 10th all-told. Escrig had run as high as fourth in the early stages but lost three spots when he ran long at Chemin aux Boeufs (Turn 9/Turn 10) on Lap 2, then had to serve a long lap penalty for the shortcut. Fores ended up 12th and Zannoni was classified a finisher, but in 16th.
Granado won both races in Round 1 of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix, but his lead in the MotoE™ World Cup standings has now been cut to six points, with Aegerter second and Casadei 12 points further back in third. Will they make up more ground, or can the Brazilian fight back? Tune in for Race 2 on Sunday at 15:30 (GMT +2).
Mattia Casadei: “It’s amazing, I’ve been waiting for this victory since the first year of MotoE, finally it’s happened and it’s fantastic. I had a very good race, I pushed a lot from the first lap and this is good, I felt comfortable. I’m happy for me and for my family who believe in me a lot, also my friends, my girlfriend, and my team because they’re working very well. It’s a great emotion..”
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